overhead

1 of 3

adverb

over·​head ˌō-vər-ˈhed How to pronounce overhead (audio)
: above one's head : aloft

overhead

2 of 3

adjective

over·​head ˈō-vər-ˌhed How to pronounce overhead (audio)
1
a
: operating, lying, or coming from above
b
: having the driving part above the part driven
valves operated by an overhead camshaft
2
: of or relating to overhead
overhead costs

overhead

3 of 3

noun

over·​head ˈō-vər-ˌhed How to pronounce overhead (audio)
1
: business expenses (such as rent, insurance, or heating) not chargeable to a particular part of the work or product
2
: ceiling
especially : the ceiling of a ship's compartment
3
: a stroke in a racket game made above head height : smash

Examples of overhead in a Sentence

Adverb A chandelier hung directly overhead. People were making noise in the balcony overhead. Noun Her company has very little overhead.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Josef Federman, TIME, 27 Nov. 2024 The chaperon watched apprehensively as the pendulum swung high overhead, twisted, and flipped over its axis. Dana Goodyear, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Taurus will rise in the eastern sky around sunset, and will be overhead from about midnight onwards, which is when viewing will be most ideal. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 When power is overhead, a line is brought down to the Voltpost, again, without the need to dig a trench for an additional power line. Ed Garsten, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
Make changes that lower your overhead or make your space user-friendly. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024 The resulting painting, inspired in part by Peter Paul Rubens’s portrait of King Philip, shows the King of Pop on horseback, in glinting gold armor, with cherubs fluttering overhead. Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for overhead 

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1682, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overhead was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near overhead

Cite this Entry

“Overhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overhead. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

overhead

1 of 3 adverb
over·​head ˌō-vər-ˈhed How to pronounce overhead (audio)
: above one's head : aloft
geese flying overhead

overhead

2 of 3 adjective
over·​head ˈō-vər-ˌhed How to pronounce overhead (audio)
1
: operating or lying above
an overhead door
2
: of or relating to business expense

overhead

3 of 3 noun
over·​head ˈō-vər-ˌhed How to pronounce overhead (audio)
1
: general business expenses (as rent, heat, or insurance)
2
: a stroke in a racket game made above head height : smash

Legal Definition

overhead

noun
over·​head ˈō-vər-ˌhed How to pronounce overhead (audio)
: business expenses (as rent or insurance) not chargeable to a particular part of the work or product

More from Merriam-Webster on overhead

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!